The Community of Christ, once known as the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, announced Wednesday that they had called a new prophet-president to lead them.
They called Stassi D. Cramm, who had most recently served as a member of the faith’s First Presidency. She is the first woman to be called to the role; the Community of Christ began ordaining women to the priesthood in 1984.
The decision came after the current prophet-president Stephen M. Veazey experienced health issues and felt the church’s Council of the Twelve should proceed in discerning who their next leader should be.
“In the tapestry of gratitude, woven with threads of humility, I find myself with the church,
standing at the edge of what is yet to be,” Cramm said in an official statement. “Gazing into the future creates emotions that defy expression. I struggle to express the profound depth of my feelings and the importance of this moment.”
The Community of Christ shares roots with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It was formed by Latter-day Saints who stayed behind in Nauvoo and other surrounding areas after the majority of the Saints trekked west. They called Joseph Smith’s son, Joseph Smith III to be their prophet in 1860.
It has approximately 250,000 members in 59 countries and strives to be “a welcoming, loving faith community that values the worth of every person as a child of God.”
Aleah is a graduate of Southern Virginia University, where she studied English, Creative Writing, and Dance. She now works full time as a marketing and product manager, writer, and editor. She currently hosts the podcast “Single to the Glory” about singlehood in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Aleah served a mission in California and loves baking, Lang Leav poetry, Gaynor Minden pointe shoes, and Bollywood movies.
